Jack



June 16, 1931. w. E. LARSON ET AL 1,310,667

JACK

Filed May 10, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fz'yl 74 A TTORNEYS.

Wm ig 9%? June 16, 1931. I w. LARSON ET AL.

JACK

2 SheetsSheet. 2

Filed May 10, 1928 Wu ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PA'rr OFFICE.

WALTER E. LARSON AND ROY S. HARVEY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS,

' BYIMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 wanna-n MANUFACT WIscoNsIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN JACK Application filed May 10, 1928. Serial No. 276,620. f

This invention relates to jacks and more particularly to automobile jacks such as are commonly employed in connection with motor trucks, automobiles or the like.

In raising one Wheel of an automobile or motor truck off the ground the vehicle axle is caused to swing about the point of contact between the opposite wheel and the ground and assumes a tilting or inclined position. As a result of this movement, the axle imparts a lateral or binding strain to the lifting mechanism ofthe jack, resulting in such a binding ofthe jack elements as to render operation of the jack extremely stiff and difficult, if not impossible, especially when the lifting element is near the top of its stroke.

An object of this invention is to provide a jack of the type set forth constructed and arranged to overcome the difiiculties heretofore present in similar jacks now in use and known to us. V

further object is to provide an automobile jack capable of lifting an axle to the extreme effect of height of the ack without any binding of parts.

A still further object is to provide a jack of the type set forthwhich will be simple in construction, elfective in operation and relatively cheap to manufacture and assemble.

These and other objects which will be apparent to those skilled in this particular art are accomplished by means of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of anautomobile jack constructed in accordance with one embodiment'of this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View through the lower portion of the jack illustrated in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

The particular embodiment of this invention which has been chosen for the purposes of illustration is shown in connection with an automobile jack 5 of the screw type,-but it will be apparent that the invention is equally applicable to all types of lifting mechanisms. As illustrated, the jack includes an operating gear 6 adapted to be driven in the usual manner by a pinion 7, for raising and lowering the lifting member 8 through the suitable screw members 9 which may be of any desired arrangement, 'as will be readily UR-INC- coMPANY, 0F nAcrNE,

understood by those skilled in this particular art.

The driving gear is housed within a base member 10 which forms in effect a gear case and which has a hemispherical ball 11 formed on the bottom thereof and supported in a ball receiving socket 12 of a supporting base member 13. It will be apparent that as a result'ofthe jack having a ball and socket support, the lifting member 8 can be tilted in any'direction during operation thereof without causing any binding or bending strains to be applied to the operating mechanism ofthe jack, as the entire mechanism canyield laterally in any direction as a result of the ball andsocketsupport. The base sections are loosely secured together by suitable fastening means which is of such character as to permit relative movement of member or base section 10. These openings 5" are so formed'as to permit free relative movement of the basesection 10 with rela tionto the bolts. Spiral springs 16 are posie tioned around each bolt between a suitable spring seat 17 andthe inner face of the ball member. 11, so that the jack parts are normally held in properfupright position, as illustrated in Fig. 1, by a yielding force.

It will beapparent, however, that the lifting member 8 and the jack mechanism can move laterally as'a result of the tilting movement of an axle which is being raisedwithout. causing any binding strains to be applied to anypart. of the jack mechanism withthe result that .the jack isas freely and easily operated when-extended to its full height as when contracted. It will, of course, be obvious that the present invention is applicable, to other forms of jack than that illustrated, and that various changes, additions, omissions and substitutions can be made in the illustrated arrangement Without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claims.

WVhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination in a jack of relatively movable base members, a. bail and socket joint between said base members and means for yieldingly securing said members together, said means comprising fastening bolts in the corners of one base member adapted to extend through openings in the corners of the other base member and spring member connections between said bolts and said other member.

2. The combination in a jack of relatively movable base members, a universal joint be-- tween said base members to permit tilting of said jack during operation thereof, a fas tening bolt in each corner of one of said members extending loosely through each of the corners of the other of said members and a flexible connection between said bolts and said other member.

3. The combination in a jack of relatively movable base members, a ball and socket joint between said base members, fastening bolts secured to each corner of one of said members and extending through relatively enlarged openings in each corner of the other member and springs for connecting said bolts to said other member. 7

4. The combination in a jack having a base member, a lifting member and a secondary base member, a socket in said base mem-- her, a ball on said secondary base member adapted to seat in said socket, means loosely extending through the corners of said base members for securing said members together to permit said lifting member to be moved out of weical position, and means associated with said securing means for yieldingly maintaining said members in normal position.

5. The combination in a jack having a base member, a lifting member and a secondary base member, a socket in said base member,

a ball on said secondary base member adapted to seat in said'socket, fastening bolt in each corner of said base member adapted to extend through an opening in each corner of said secondary base member for loosely securing said members together to permit said lifting member to bemoved out of vertical position, and means associated with said bolts for yieldingly maintaining said lifting member in vertical position.

6. The combination in a jack having a base member, a lifting member and a secondary base member, a socket in said base. member, a ball on said secondary base member adapted to seat in said socket, a fastening bolt in each corner of said base member adapted to extend through an opening in each corner of said secondary base member for loosely 

